


Book of Appledash

by Twinsez



Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Comedy, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Character, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29126331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twinsez/pseuds/Twinsez
Summary: In Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom finds a book that claims it will help guide her to form a perfect Appledash pairing. Along with her fellow crusaders, Apple  Bloom will try to follow the steps the book gives as best she can, but soon realizes it's much harder than she thought.
Relationships: Apple Bloom/Diamond Tiara (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Applejack/Rainbow Dash (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Button Mash/Sweetie Belle (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Starlight Glimmer/Trixie Lulamoon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. The Book of Appledash

“ Huh?”

Applebloom dropped the apple buckets from her back. She cautiously glanced around the tree she was working on to investigate the quiet plop she just heard. From the faint sound the object drew, Applebloom guessed it wasn’t an apple and was probably much lighter than one. Applebloom was surprised she heard a sound that low in volume, but then again, Applebloom seemed to have better hearing than most fillies her age. Applebloom didn’t necessarily know why exactly, she just guessed it had to do with her farm upbringing. That usually explained it.

At first, she did not see it. The grass was growing tall this year, and Applebloom often had trouble finding pens and bits in the stuff. After closer inspection, however, she finally spotted a small area of grass where the leaves seemed to bend from holding the weight of a solid object. What made this area so interesting to Applebloom was that it was located directly under Celestia’s sun, which meant that the object couldn’t have been an apple, unless the apple rolled down from a tree which the yellow filly doubted.

‘Ah wonder what that thing can be. Maybe a bird? Something from a pegasus? Well, there’s only one way to find out.’ Carefully, Applebloom began to creep towards the unidentifiable object that lay only feet ahead of her, her excitement, and irrational fear, brimming. 

As she got closer to the object, she spotted what for a second she thought was claws, which caused her to stop moving and start breaking into a cold sweat. After she forced herself to continue pressing forward, Applebloom saw they were just metal spirals connected to a slightly larger rectangular object. Finally, when Applebloom was close enough to get a good view of the thing, she sighed a breath of relief.

It was just a purple spiral notebook, nothing special about it all. Nothing really seemed off about it, just something a Pegasus probably dropped from their saddlebags on their way home. Though there were large black letters located on the purple cover, and Applebloom repositioned herself around the book to read them.

The filly gingerly picked up the notebook with her hooves, and read out loud, ‘The Book Of Appledash: The Guide to Forming a True Pairing with the Ponies Rainbow Dash and Applejack.’

Applebloom froze, causing the notebook to fall forward from her hooves, landing letter side up on the tall, green grass. ‘Why does this book mention my sister? And Rainbow? Is somepony her pulling my leg?’ Applebloom looked around her farm, but only saw green-red apple trees ripe for the picking. ‘Maybe there’s somepony hiding behind one of these here trees. Maybe Sweetie or Scoots or something. This would be their style of a prank. Lousy prank includin’ my sister in it.’

“This ain’t funny!” Applebloom called out to the apples, shaking her hoof for emphasis. Yet nothing but the gentle October breeze seemed to respond to her outbursts. Lowering her hoof, she looked back down at the notebook, and thoughts of rage and betrayal were quickly replaced with those of curiosity.

What was in that notebook? Did it truly contain a guide to romance, specifically the romance of her sister and Rainbow Dash? She never really spotted anything going on between the two mares, yet she seemed to lack certain realizations when it came to love. That Hearths and Hooves Day disaster certainly came to mind. The only time Applebloom ever truly learned about romance was from those comedic renditions of Rarity’s sappy romance that Sweetie Belle mocked at the CMC Official Sleepovers. Maybe, just maybe, this book could give her some pointers. Just because the young Apple wasn’t too knowledgeable about romance didn’t mean she didn’t care about impressing the colts at the Ponyville schoolhouse.

Applebloom also struggled to comprehend that her big sister may be gay. Now obviously, Applebloom had no problem with lesbian relationships. Same-sex relationships were just a natural part of society in Equestria, especially in Ponyville. But Rainbow Dash and Applejack behaved like stallions so much Applebloom like to joke they were stallions stuck in a mare’s body. Maybe it was a case of opposites attract. Would the book tell her that? Could the book contain answers to all of her lesbian centered questions?

Even as her mind argued with herself to leave the stupid book alone, Applebloom saw her hoof extending towards the fallen notebook, determined to read it’s contents.

“APPLEBLOOM! SOUPS READY! COME ON BACK TO THE HOUSE FOR SOME LUNCH!”

Applebloom’s hooves jolted back up and instinctively trotted towards the house. She made it past the tree she was working on until the distraction before stopping. She looked back over towards the general direction of the book. Even though she couldn’t see it, she could still feel it’s allure calling to her curiosity. Why couldn’t she take just it? It would only be as an experiment to prove it’s legitimacy. What’s the harm in that. She’d be like Twilight Sparkle. She was always experimenting with new and exciting things when she first came to Ponyville, and now she was a princess. So what if it was dropped by a passing pegasus? If they really cared about it so much, they should have taken better care of it.

Applebloom stomped her hoof on the ground. “Oh Tartarus, fine!” she cursed. She quickly trotted back to the flat plain of grass where the notebook dropped and picked it up with her mouth. Turning back around, she trotted back to the apple barrels and began to haphazardly shove the book into the piles of multi-colored apples. This book needed to avoid the detection of Applejack. There was NO WAY that would turn into anything other than a disaster.

“This purpose of this book is to help initiate the romantic pairing between the mares Appledash and Rainbow Dash. The rules of the book are the following:

“1- The following steps will start on the next page. Once the step is completed, it will be crossed out and the next step will appear. There can be no skipping steps, the steps must be completed in order. There are no time limit to complete the steps unless specified otherwise. The steps will mostly involve some form of participation to achieve romantic success.

“That concludes the rule of the notebook. Don’t screw up. Don’t know how you could really mess it up, just follow the steps you silly filli- I-I mean random mares who found this book. Or stallions!”

Scootaloo looked up from the notebook she was reading from and turned to the bed which Applebloom was laying in. “Uh, Applebloom. Those final few sentences were really weird. I’m kinda convinced somepony’s pulling your hindleg here.”

Applebloom raised a hoof to the ceiling. “If you think that’s weird Scoots, just turn to the next page.” Instead, Scootaloo closed the book and gently layed it on the floor before giving it a pat. “You know what Applebloom, I’m actually good. This is WAY too weird for me, and I have no intention of talking about this thing any- HEY, SWEETIE!”

Mid-sentence, Sweetie Belle reached over Scootaloo to grab the notebook. She was now quickly opening it again and flipping to the next page. “Sweetie, give it back!”

The unicorn filly briefly looked up from the book to address the orange pegasus. “Oh come on, you can’t tell me you don’t want to know what the first step is! In a potentially magical book!?”

Scootaloo stubbornly stomped her right forehoof on the ground. “Hay no. Why should I care about Rainbow Dash’s personal life?” Several seconds passed. “Okay, fine, yes I do care about Rainbow Dash’s personal life.” Scootaloohurriedly walked over to Sweetie Belle’s position on the floor of Applebloom’s bedroom, and together they silently read out the single line on the 2nd page.

It was a good solid minute of silence after the two fillies read the step, and Applebloom stared at the silent ponies from her bed, waiting for a surprising response any moment. Sweetie Belle finally broke the silence by looking up from the book, her brow furrowed. “Wait, what does ‘come out’ mean?”

Applebloom rolled off her bed and threw her hooves in the air. “How should ah know? Ah thought you two would tell me!”

Scootaloo rubbed her forehead with both hooves, her small wings twitching on habit. “Wait, wait. Why does Applejack need to ‘come out’ to get this Appledash name? Stupid name by the way. Real clever, idiot.”

Sweetie Belle lightly smacked Scootaloo on the back of the head before giving her own thought on the strange term. “I think Rarity said something about Lyra and Bon Bon coming out, and that was around the time their relationship became public in Ponyville. Maybe that has something to do with it?”

Applebloom walked over to Sweetie Belle and snatched the book from the floor. She then walked back near her bed and struggled to cram the spiral notebook in the unorganized, messy drawer of her nightstand. After several unsuccessful tries, she finally managed to jam the book in the drawer, and pushed the drawer back closed. She then turned back around to face the sitting Sweetie Belle.

“Alright, now we’re getting somewhere, but ah still have no idea what it means!”

“OOH OOH OOH! I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!” Scootaloo yelled, smacking Sweetie in the face with a flailing hoof. Her wings were on the fritz, flapping so fast Scootalo hovered a bit off the ground

“OW! Be careful with that hoof, will you?” the unicorn scolded, rubbing her now sore muzzle to try to rub the pain out of it.

Scootaloo stooped hovering for a bit, and a sheepish smile appeared on Scootaloo’s face. “Heh heh, sorry about that Sweetie. Got a little carried away there.” With the apology covered, Scootaloo turned to Applebloom, who was leaning against her mattress with her hooves crossed, excitement once again taking hold. “I think I know what ‘coming out’ means!”

Applebloom raised her eyebrow, intrigued. “What?”

Scoot also stood up on all fours and began to pace around the room, her wings once again flapping with a vengence. “Well think about it. Apparently, Sweetie’s sister said that Lyra and Bon Bon came out when their relationship became known to all of Ponyville. This means that it can mean only one thing!”

Scootaloo stopped pacing when she was only inches away from Applebloom’s face, her smile brimming with excitement. “Do you see where I’m going with this?”

Applebloom began to lean her face away from Scootaloo’s own, sweat forming on her brow. “Uhhhhh, nooo?”

Scootaloo took a few steps back, then jumped in the air, almost smashing her head on the wooden roof of the bedroom. Her wings were able to suspend Scootaloo in the air for a couple more seconds, enough to let out her following message: “It means it’s when a pony finally decides to enter a public relationship!” Pleased with her conclusion, Scootaloo gently landed back down on the floor, eagerly anticipating Applebloom’s response with big eyes and a wide smile. 

Applebloom rubbed her chin with a hoof, letting the words sink in. “You know, that actually makes some sense.” Scootaloo’s smile widened, her pride skyrocketing.”

Momentarily forgetting about her sore nose, Sweetie Belle shot up on all fours and clapped her forehooves together. “I think you’re right Scootaloo. It all makes sense considering Applejack. Think Applebloom, how the public is Applebloom about her romantic life?”

Applebloom walked on over to her window, gazing out towards the many, many trees that occupied Sweet Apple Acres. Sure enough, she found Applejack working on a cluster of particularly ripe looking trees, nothing but concentration carved on her face. She always seemed to be infatuated with work and friendship. Maybe she needed convincing to pursue romance. Applebloom looked back at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who were both looking back at her with anticipation. “You know what girls? Ah think you have a point”

“Yes!” Scootaloo exclaimed as she pumped her fists in the air, leaving one hanging. “Give me a bump Sweetie!” Sweetie enthusiastically accepted the offer, the slap echoing across the room. 

Applebloom raised a hoof to try to calm the girls down. “When should ah try to get mah sister to ‘come out’ then?”

“Why not tonight?” Sweetie offered.

“Tonight!?” Applebloom exclaimed, taken aback. “Why should ah do it so soon? The book said there ain’t no rush to get it done, and besides, the book could still be a load of hooey, let’s not forget. How do we know it will actually look.”

Scootaloo raised her hand up for an answer as if that would actually accomplish anything. “Come on, Applebloom. Even if this book doesn’t mean anything, there’s no harm done really if you make your sister ‘come out’. So why not tonight. It’s not like this could get complicated or anything. What do you say.” Done with her explanation, Sweetie and Scootaloo eagerly awaited Applebloom’s answer.

With a reluctant sigh, the earth filly gave in. “Fine, ah’ll do it.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“But girls, you have to promise not to tell anypony else about this plan and the notebook. If anypony else were to find out about that there notebook, it would cause a whole mess of trouble. And whatever happens, we won’t make this a repeat of Heart and Hooves.”

The mere mention of that day caused the three to shudder. Applebloom stretched her hoof out, a wide smile on her face. “Crusader promise on three?”

“Yeah!” exclaimed the two fillies simultaneously as they joined their hooves with Applebloom’s.

“One.”

“Two”

“Three!”

At once the fillies all threw their outstretched hooves in the air, yelling “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PROMISE, YEAH!”


	2. Chapter 2

“Uh, sis? Can ah ask you a question?”

Applejack looked up from her early dinner of leftover apple soup and across the table to Apple Bloom. She smiled, “What kind of question is that? Of course, you can ask me a question, we’re sisters! You don’t need to ask!”

Instead of asking the intended question, Apple Bloom fixed her gaze on the floor, tapping her hooves diligently together. “Uh, what if it’s kinda personal?” 

This got Big Mac’s attention as he now looked up from the other end of his table and stared at Apple Bloom with newfound curiosity. Granny Smith still remained oblivious to all surroundings, choosing instead to take small sips of her soup.

Applejack's smile didn’t waver. She leaned across the table and layed a gentle hoof on Apple Bloom’s slumping shoulders. “C’mon sugarcube! We’ve lived together for fourteen years now! Ain’t nothing going to be too personal to ask me!” Apple Bloom looked up from her gaze on the floor, staring at Applejack with wide eyes.

“Are you sure sis?”

Applejack’s smile somehow managed to widen even further. “Ah’m sure!” Applejack leaned back into her chair and lifted a mug of cider. “Now, run that question by me.”

Big Mac was leaning on the edge of his seat, hanging on to every word between his two sisters. He had to know what was on his little sis’s mind! Granny Smith still paid no attention to her grandchildren’s intensity.

Apple Bloom shakily exhaled. Well, here goes nothing. All at once, Apple Bloom slammed her tiny hooves on the table, hoisted herself up a couple of inches, and loudly asked “Applejack, do you need to come out!?”

“PBBBBFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!”

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!”

“Ah come on sis!” Apple Bloom complained as she wiped away the apple juice dripping from her face. “I didn’t expect a reaction like that. An’ Big Mac! What’s so funny?” The red stallion was hanging on the wooden table for dear life, his laughing fit threatening to cause him to crash on the floor below. He rarley ever lost control of his emotions so violently, especially when it came to humor. Quite frankly, it terrified both Apple sisters. Granny Smith looked up from her soup to her grandchildren, watching the chaos unfold as a silent observer.

“Ah- ah’m sor-sorry, hehe,” MacIntosh stammered out trying, and failing miserably, at keeping his laughter in check. Finally, the red stallion managed to compose himself to a certain degree of calm, letting loose shaky breath after shaky breath. Meanwhile, Applejack was coughing madly from her sudden spit-take. She finally managed to turn to Apple Bloom and asked a simple question: “What in the hay do you mean ‘I didn’t expect a reaction like that?’ You can’t just ask that type of question willy-nilly to anypony!”

Apple Bloom felt herself getting defensive. “C’mon sis! Ah get you don’t like anypony messin’ around in your personal business, but you comin’ out has been a long time comin’.”

“A long time com-” Applejack face hoofed. Another burst of giggles arose from Mac’s side of the table but was silenced quickly with a glare from his little sis. Applejack then turned to Granny Smith, who still maintained her stance as a silent observer. In fact, she looked as if she would return to her now cool soup any minute. 

Applejack turned her glare back at her little sister. “Apple Bloom, now you listen here young mare. You know I ain’t comfortable with talkin’ about my personal life. If I had anything to say, then ah’ll say it on my own darn time. But you listen here Apple Bloom, I ain’t-”

Applejack’s explanation was cut short with Apple Bloom’s own hurried retort. “Y’know sis, I find it kinda ironic I’m more comfortable with my own personal life than you.”

Applejack cocked a curious eyebrow. “Oh yeah? An’ whatever do you mean by that?”

“That ah’m comin’ out before you!”

WHAT!?” the older siblings yelled in unison. Big Mac, who after his brief giggling fit, was now stuck in the middle between anger and confusion, glaring at Apple Bloom with big green eyes. Meanwhile, Granny Smith finally did something different than staring. She leaned back into her rocking chair, which she always brought to the dinner table, and watched Apple Bloom, and only Apple Bloom, with a sense of curiosity. 

“Apple Bloom, what in the hay would make you say such things? You can’t actually be serious?” The orange earth pony struggled to keep her sudden anger from leaking into her words. 

Most fillies would have caved in by now. They would have apologized and promised they would refrain from asking such stupid topics ever again. However, Apple Bloom was not like most fillies. She had a question to ask and darnit she would get answers. 

“Applejack, ah’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I’m sure as sure can be that I’m ready to get into the dating game. Ah’m fourteen years old! Not only that but ah’ve got a cutie mark now! You’re older than me by several years now, an’ I’m more in touch with my romantic life than you are. It’s time to confess now Applejack, and ah’m not going to take no for an answer!”

Shock. That was probably the best way to describe the Apple siblings, especially the mare in question. Applejack’s mouth was hanging wide open, only able to stutter the beginnings of some sort of retort. A ruby red blush began to blossom quickly away from her orange muzzle across her face. Big Mac had his face planted on the dinner table, threatening to send it crashing on his forgotten soup bowl at any moment.

Even Apple Bloom herself was in shock. She fell back into the chair in a daze, not even feeling her flank hit the seat. She began wondering if she took it too far. She lost herself in her outburst, and she didn’t even feel like it was her who actually said any of it. Besides, the book could still be a load of hooey for all she knew, and she was still acting all wild with it. Not only that, but that word, “coming out”, seemed to pack a lot more emotional bite than Apple Bloom thought it would. Sure, she expected Applejack to get a little embarrassed, but Applejack was as red as her namesake right now. Apple Bloom wondered if she should apologize, and hope to Celestia this wouldn’t put a permanent dent in their sisterly relationship.

The awkward atmosphere finally ended by none other than Granny Smith, who couldn’t keep herself from chuckling as she rocked. “Well, ah havta say ah sure wasn’t prepared for that. But it was neva’ mah business what Apples did in their free time. If’n you’re sure about this Apple Bloom, I guess it’s aright with me. I take it it’s alright with everypony else around this here table?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac apologized, a kindly smile on his face as he slowly lifted his muzzle from the tabletop. He then, like every other pony around the table, turned to look at Applejack for a similar answer. The orange pony seemed unaware of her sudden placement in the spotlight, instead preferring to watch herself twist her hooves together and mumble something incoherent.

“Applejack? Your answer?” Granny Smith croaked. She tapped her hooves impatiently against the table, waiting for Applejack to answer. Finally after a couple more tense seconds, Applejack looked up, noticeably pale and sweaty. 

“Uh actually I have somethin’ I need to get off mah chest, an’ I think if I don’t say it now, I may never give myself this chance again.”

Despite herself, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but smile victoriously. ‘It worked! See, why did ah ever doubt mahself? Ah jus’ convinced mah sister to come out. Ah better check on that book after dinner then, see if anythin’ changed.

Granny Smith raised an eyebrow at the sweaty Applejack, before giving her a nod for her to start talking. Mug Mac was leaning on the edge of his chair, desperately waiting to hear his sister's new secret.

Applejack sighed before nervously laying her hooves down on the table, and spoke. “Ah’ve known about this since I was maybe Apple Bloom's age, an’ I’ve been keepin it to myself for around a decade now. Ah was gonna tell y'all eventually, and under less… hostile conditions, but ah think if I don’t spill it out now, it’s going to be a long while before I bring up the courage to confess again. Ah’m… ah’m gay.”

‘Yes! Yes! Ah did it! She came out! She came… wait. What did she say now?’ Apple Bloom’s smile vanished and was replaced with a frown of confusion. “Uh, Applejack? Why did you-” She was cut off with a venomous glare from Granny, and the filly collapsed back into the chair. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to find the mistake she made. 

Apple Bloom’s frantic inner thoughts were cut off as Applejack began to speak once again with a shaky breath. “Y’know, ah always thought that when ah eventually came out, I would have a lot of things to tell y'all about it. Now ah’ve finally done it, an’ honestly? Ah can’t think of anything to say! Ah just…

“... it’s just that ah’ve kept from telling everyone for so long now because ah was afraid of what y'all would say. Now I know how supportive you seem to be of this now, but back then… ah was scared of how you react. Even then ah kinda’ knew ya’ll would be fine with it, but there was this... doubt ah still had. Kinda like mah own lie ah’ guess, just this irrational fear yall would hate me if ah told ya’ll ah was gay.”

After several seconds of silence, Apple Bloom decided now was a good time to dispel this confusion about her being a fillyfooler. She lifted her gaze from the floor to across the dinner table, and was shocked to find big green, tear stained eyes staring at her. Applejack bore a small smile and when she spoke, it was with a grateful tone, as if somepony had just lifted a great burden from her mind.

“Apple Bloom, ah can’t thank you enough for tonight. Even if you kind of put me on edge with your yellin’ and all, the end result certainly helped me out a ton. Mentally, maybe even physically. An’ hey, ah just want to let you know ah’ve got your flank here little sis. Now you're young, so still keep your options open, but ah’m proud youe were able to come out at such an earlier age than me. You’re a bigger pony than ah ever was in that regard” Applejack than reached across the table and gently ruffled Apple Bloom’s hair, straightened her bow, and fell back into her chair without a sound

Apple Bloom kept her mouth shut based on given principle. She finally understood the mistake she made, an’ some stupid pegasus was going to sure get it tomorrow. However, now was not the time to correct it. Applejack needed familial support right now, and she decided telling everypony she wasn’t actually gay wouldn’t help in anyway for Applejack. Still, it nearly broke the filly’s heart that her sister’s newfound trust in her was built on a misunderstanding of words. A lie.

Applejack blinked her eyes several times in surprise. “Heh heh, guess ah said a lot about it after all.”

Bug Mac chuckled on Applejack’s left side. “Heh, ah guess you did sis.”

“Don’ worry about it none Applejack. Jus’ lil Apple Bloom over yonder, we’re all fine with it. Apples are meant to support each other, after all.’ Granny Smith grinned wildly, and Applejack couldn’t help but feel a sudden rush of calm wash over her. The apple fell off the tree, and her family was okay with it, even supportive about. Even Apple Bloom and she now had something new in common, something they could both relate to. Sure, Apple Bloom was still young, and this could be just experimentation, but it wasn’t right to dwell on such matters now. What mattered was that now, after ten years, Applejack was finally comfortable with her sexuality. There were just some other ponies that needed to know.

Applejack wiped the flow of tears from her eyes, and trotted over to the opposite side towards the front exit, lifting her hat from the metal coat rack. 

“Where you goin’ sis?” MacIntosh called from the other room.

“It’s still early evening out,” Applejack called back. “I reckon I can get to all mah friends' houses before it gets too dark, an’ make some arrangements for brunch at SugarCube Corner tomorrow mornin’. To tell them about this whole thing. About damn time ah did so.” With one final glance and smile at the dinner table, Applejack finally made her leave.

Big Mac left the table soon after, giving some excuse about closing the barn for the night. Maybe he just needed some to think about dinner. Apple Bloom then helped Granny Smith to her favorite napping chair in the small but cozy living room.

“Now you be a doll dearie and head to bed right after your’e done tucking me in, you hear? It’s been a long day for everyon’”. 

“Yes Granny,” Apple Bloom replied obediently. After making sure the blanket was firmly wrapped around Granny, Apple Bloom wasted no time dragging herself up the oak stairs and sliding under her covers. Even when comparing it to harvest season, Apple Bloom swore her bed never felt more comfortable than that night. In the midst of her current mood, the little filly forgot all about the book in her nightstand next to her bed. The next morning, drowsiness would give way to excitement as she would fling open the nightstand for the notebook, hoping for proof that the book was the real deal. For now, Apple Bloom would give herself to sleep, hoping that tomorrow, things would make so much more sense then they did now.


	3. Chapter 3- Treehouse Talk

‘Whack’

“Ow! What the heck was that for?” Scootaloo complained while rubbing her now throbbing forehead with a hoof.

“I’ll tell ya what that was for ya varmint! You embarrassed me yesterday! To think I ever trusted you!” Apple Bloom raised a hoof up in anger, which Sweetie Belle slowly lowered. These fights broke so often between Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle could rival Twilight Sparkle with her peacemaking abilities. Even before they found that notebook, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom just couldn’t see eye to eye on anything. Just that week, the two got into an argument about what the best Ice Cream flavor was at a party. Sweetie Belle personally enjoyed Rum Raisin but apparently, an argument over Vanilla and Chocolate could nearly spawn a entire school war. 

“Hey Apple Bloom, just calm down,” Sweetie Belle soothed. “I’m sure that whatever happened last night, Scootaloo didn’t mean it.”

“Didn’t mean it? I didn’t even do anything!”

“Ya sure did! How about you stop giving me stupid answers from now on?”

“How about I give you a big ol’ sock in the muzzle?” Scootaloo threatened as she began to storm towards Apple Bloom.

“Sounds good to me!” Apple Bloom spat right back, straightening her bow like it was some ancient fighting exercise. 

“Now hold on, just wait. Wait! WAIT!” Sweetie Belle slammed her hoof on the wooden floor, causing the whole treehouse to shake from the impact. When two idiots won’t listen, sometimes you have to take a more… direct approach. It certainly worked, as Scootaloo stopped in her tracks and Apple Bloom dropped her hooves from her hair.

When she was confident that she had everypony’s attention, she pulled out that same sweet smile she always pulled during situations like this. If she learned anything from Rarity, it was how to break up a dramatic situation, even if more drama was required. “Now Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and I were just sitting here quietly waiting for Pipsqueak to show up to his appointment. Then you came in here and started hitting on Scootaloo without telling us what’s the matter. Now let me take a wild guess: it’s about the book isn’t it?”

Apple Bloom kept quiet for a couple of seconds before cracking, giving out a wordless nod. Before Sweetie Belle could continue her questioning, Scootaloo spoke up. “Uh, Sweetie Belle?”

“Yes, Scootalo?”

“When you said she was hitting on me, I don’t think that was the right term. You see when you say that-”

Scootaloo’s ramblings were promptly cut off with a yelp as a green magical aura took hold of her right forearm. Scootaloo looked up to see Sweetie Belle frowning, her horn aglow with a green light.

“Scootaloo,” the white unicorn said with a touch of authority in her voice, “if you ask another stupid question, I’m going to drag you over here, and somepony might or might not get hurt. Understand?”

“But I didn’t ask a quest-”

“Understand?”

“Uh, y-yes?” Scootaloo whimpered.

“Good!” Sweetie Belle released her magic from Scootaloo, her smile reappearing as if it never left her face at all. “Now then…

“Apple Bloom, what happened with the book yesterday?” Sweetie Belle gasped as a sudden thought came to her mind. “No! Don’t tell me the book’s fake! That was going to be the one exciting thing this week! I mean, Rarity was going to take me gem hunting, but she never lets me touch any of them. They’re so shiny!” Sweetie whined.

Apple Bloom lifted up a hoof to calm her friend down. “Woah, relax there Sweetie Belle. The notebook worked out just fine.”

The other fillies gasped in excitement. A slight buzzing sound could be heard from the rapid flapping of Scootaloo’s stubby wings. “Wow!” the orange pegasus exclaimed. “It really does work! We found something magical!’ The buzzing sound suddenly began to decrease in volume as Scootaloo became confused. “Wait… then what did I do wrong? Your sister coming out was a great success, right?”

“Yeah about that…” Apple Bloom trailed off, returning her hostility to the orange filly with a steely-eyed glare. “You got that definition wrong. Comin’ out doesn’t mean admitting to public relationships. Well, not really. It means if you’re a fillyfooler or not.” A couple of seconds went by for the others to process what that truly meant. Before they were able to ask any more questions, however, Apple Bloom spoke back up. ”An’ ah may have kinda... told my family that ah was comin’ out before ah realized what it really meant.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were left speechless for several seconds, struggling to process what they just heard. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but glance at each of them trying to figure out how they would respond to her misery. Most likely through laughter. Lots of it.  
Sure enough, after what seemed like hours, a sound broke the silence: “Pbftttttttttt!”

“Oh come on Sweetie! Ah thought you would at least try to hold it in?”

“I-I’m sorry, I just c-HAAAAAAHAHAHAH.” Sweetie Belle put a shaking hoof in front of her smiling face while backing away from Apple Bloom as if that would do anything to help. “I’m really sorry I just-“ 

Her words were cut off as she bumped into a giggling Scootaloo, and that was it. Both fell to the floor, laughing at their tumble before remembering why they were laughing in the first place. This only caused them to laugh even harder. The treehouse echoed gales of laughter that Apple Bloom bet all of Ponyville could hear. A buzzing sound could be heard throughout the treehouse’s interior but was mostly drowned out by the laughing. Each attempt to get back up was simply in vain as their shaking bodies seemed to fail the two fillies.

Apple Bloom patiently waited for the two “friends” to stop, blushing slightly. She knew trying to get them to stop herself would just be a losing effort. Surely her situation couldn’t be that hilarious. After several years of continuing laughter, Scootaoo and Sweetie Belle returned to their hooves, their fits of laughter reduced to small bursts of chuckles. Scootaloo was the first to speak out, and it was the obvious question: “Why did you do that?”

“Ah thought if ah came out first, it would get mah sister to be more comfortable, an’ she would come out after. An’ guess what? It worked!” 

“Wait, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle snickered as she trotted over to Apple Bloom’s position near the treehouse’s left window and laid a hoof across her shoulder. “Do you have something to tell us?”

Apple Bloom shoved the hoof away. “ Come on now Sweetie Belle, knock it off! Ah’m not gay. Now let’s talk about that b-“

“You know, Diamond Tiara’s gay.” 

“Scootaloo! How the hay does that have to do with anything?”

“Really? How do you know? Who told you?” Sweetie Belle questioned rapidly. The humor in her voice was gone, relaxed with a hunger for gossip.

Scootaloo shrugged. “She told me herself.”

“WHAT?!” gasped the other two together. “When?”

“She told me at that random Dessert Party in Sugarcube Corner last week. I saw her kissing somepony in secret. I asked her about it, she told me I didn’t need to know, I told her yes I do, she told me fine, I said spill me the goods, then she said-“

“Just get to the point!” Sweetie rushed.

“Jeez, I was just about to! Anyways, turns out she and Gold Case have a little thing going on.” Scootaloo winked.

“The daughter of the Cases? The ones that sell those antiques in the upper-class part of Ponyville?”

“Those are the ones!”

“Wow, ah never knew that. Diamond’s stopped asking to hang out lately, but she never told me she had a girlfriend.”

“Scootaloo, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

Scootaloo squinted her face in thought. “ I'm pretty sure I told you guys actually. At the party. Why didn’t you…” Her facial features dropped as she remembered what happened. She turned to glare at Apple Bloom as if she just did something terribly wrong. “Oh, right that party.”

Apple Bloom seemed to remember as well, returning Scootaloo’s glare. “ Yeah, where we had that argument.”

“Right, because somepony doesn’t know how to eat ice cream.”

“Ahm thinking the same thing.”

“Heh heh heh, well the past is in the past. No need to get worked up over it!” Sweetie Belle imposed herself between the other two the second time that day, a nervous smile on her face. It seemed to work, as both fillies relaxed and relieved their glares from each other. 

Sweetie Belle let out a sigh of relief before asking Apple Bloom, “So Apple Bloom, why don’t you show us the book? I’m sure you brought it, right?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Uh yeah, that’s kinda what I wanted to show you girls.”

Sweetie Belle clapped her hooves together in excitement. “Great! Why don’t you show it to us. If this book is the real deal, that’s great news for Applejack and Rainbow Dash! Oh, I can already imagine them…”

“Uh yeah…” Apple Bloom responded awkwardly. She left Sweetie Belle and her daydreams and swiftly walked over to the entrance of the treehouse, where a saddlebag was propped up against one of the wooden door’s corners. There she rummaged through the packed bag, throwing random things here and there to make room for her search. These included several uneaten apple cores, two tickets to a year-old hoofball game, and a tennis racket. Finally, Apple Bloom found what she was looking for and pulled out a battered and beaten purple spiral notebook.

“Sheesh,” Scootaloo muttered. “How the heck is it that damaged already? And how was there so much stuff in there?” 

“Hm?” Apple Bloom tilted her head towards the pegasus, unsure of what she just heard. The notebook was hanging from her mouth, a paper near the end threatening to fall through the cracks of the floor’s wooden planks.

“Nothing!” Scootaloo spurted out a little too quickly. Luckily, Apple Bloom only shrugged and walked to the center of the treehouse, kicking a few stray marbles on the way, and dropped the book on the floor with a plop.

This seemed to snap Sweetie Belle out of her daze and joined the rest of the Crusaders around the magical book. Apple Bloom opened the book and turned the first page, revealing the other side with the steps. Sure enough, the step that read “Get Applejack to come out” with what appeared to be black ink, and below it was a new step.

“Have Applejack buy Rainbow Dash an Oatson”

Scootaloo scratched her head after reading. “An Oatson? What’s that?”

Apple Bloom gasped as if Scootaloo just admitted strawberries were her favorite fruit. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what an Oatson is?”

Scootaloo just shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, should I?”

Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle, her mouth agape, “Come on Sweetie, you have to know what an Oatson is, right?”

Sweetie Belle tapped her chin in thought. “Hmmm, those are the expensive cowboy hats, right?”

Apple Bloom recoiled in shock, nearly banging into Scootaloo and almost tripping over a twirling pole. “They ain’t just ANY cowboy hats. Those things are made of only the finest material, an’ they feel like a sheepdog taking a big ol’ nap on your hair. Sis never let me get one though. Too expensive and unnecessary she says. Well ah’ll tell her… heh. Guess I got a little carried away there.”

“Wait, I’m confused. What would buying a hat for Rainbow Dash do for Applejack?”

Apple Bloom deadpanned at Scootaloo. “It’s a gift featherbrain. That’s what couples do.”

“Ooooooh, right.” Scootaloo didn’t catch Sweetie Belle at the corner of her eye pointing her horn at her leg. 

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, then turned to look out the window. “Ah’m a little cautious though about this whole thing though. Ah mean, Applejack’s at Sugarcube corner right now telling everypony the same thing she told us. Ah’m sure it’s too late now, but do you think… do you think that… wait.” Apple Bloom squinted through the window. “Hol’ on”

Apple Bloom rested her hoof on the entrances doorknob, and in a sudden yank pulled the door open. The door glinted to the other side in a flash, leaving the colt against it leaning on air. The white and brown colt failed to keep his balance and fell on his stomach in the middle of the doorway. “Oh rats!” the colt replied in a very heavy and distinct accent.

Apple Bloom tried her hardest to keep from glaring at the newcomer. “Pip, what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?” Pipsqueak asked. He began to stand back up and started brushing off the dust off his coat. “I was coming here for my appointment. It’s not my fault you weren’t ready!” He blinked in surprise. “...Why is there such a mess in here?”

“Pip,” Sweetie Belle said carefully, “how much did you hear?”

“Yeah Pipsqueak, what did you hear? Why were you listening to us, huh? What were you trying to do?” Scootaloo followed her interrogation by stretching out her undersized wings and arranging her body in an attacking form (“The Rainbow Dash Wild Animal Defense Form™”).

Pipsqueak began to tremble with fear. “ I swear, I just wondered why you all were laughing so much. I only listened to you a little bit, and I don’t even really understand it. Excluding the Diamond Tiara thing of course. I could see that coming a mile away. Just please don’t hurt me...” Pip squeaked out.

“Pip, relax. You’re fine. We ain’t goin’ to hurt you, so Scootaloo you can cut out.” Scootaloo snorted in protest but nonetheless relaxed her standing position. 

Sweetie Belle walked over and laid a friendly hoof across Pip’s neck. “We’re so sorry Pip. We forgot about your appointment because of an argument. So why don’t we-“

“Say,” Pip interrupted. “I also heard something about an Oatson. If you need one of those, there’s this small little place downtown that sells those pretty cheap. Good condition too.

“Really?” Apple Bloom asked, excitement in her voice. “Ah’ve looked all over this place for an Oatson at a decent price an’ ah couldn’t find one. How did you find this place?” 

“I don’t know. I’ve always been good at finding good discounts, even back at Trottingham.”

Sweetie Belle ruffled the colts brown mane as a friendly gesture. “I bet you are. Would you mind showing us this place?”

Pip nodded enthusiastically and pointed a hoof towards Ponyville. “Come on Crusaders! Follow me to the store!”

“Sure thing Pip!” Apple Bloom said with an equal amount of enthusiasm. Apple Bloom waved a hoof over her back. “Come on Scootaloo, let’s go!” With that, the three foals ran off. 

“Wait! Who’s going to clean up this… mess…” She looked over the treehouse. Junk was littered all over the floor that Sweetie Belle tried so hard to clean. The notebook remained in the center of the room, teasing Scootaloo’s with its magical mystique. Scootaloo glared at the inanimate object. “How many messes am I going to clean up because of you?”


	4. Chapter 4-The Oatson

“How many times do ah have to tell ya, Apple Bloom? Ah, ain’t gettin’ Rainbow that hat!” Applejack snapped at her little sister. With that, Applejack focused her attention back on the tree in front of her. She reared her legs up and, with an incredible amount of force, bucked them hard against the ripe apple tree. As if on a schedule, the apples all fell at the same time, landing neatly into the surrounding apple baskets. “Alright Apple Bloom, pick em’ up!”

Apple Bloom grumbled something unintelligible before going around to collect all the baskets. Unfortunately for her, Applejack heard. “Now what did ah hear you say there?”

“Nothin’ Applejack,” Apple Bloom murmured.

Still, Applejack persisted. “Now ah heard you say somethin’ an’ I want to know what it was.”

“Really Applejack, I didn’t say anythin’. Ah, swear,” Apple Bloom said with the basket in her teeth. 

Applejack sighed and locked eyes with the little filly. “Apple Bloom, ah know you want me to be happy, but ah’m still not comfortable getting into a relationship right now.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Mah friends have accepted me an’ all when ah told them, but ah think ah jus’ need to… explore my options before I start dating, ya know?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Rainbow’s a fine mare an’ all, but I don’t think it would work out. She’s lazy, ah’m hard working. She’s an egomaniac, and I prefer to stay humble. Ah appreciate you lookin’ out for me, but it just wouldn’t work out.”

“Sure.”

Applejack sighed. “Apple Bloom, are you even listening to me?”

Apple Bloom was now carrying one full basket, heading towards the apple cart a few feet behind Applejack. There was a distant look in her eyes as if somepony just snatched all her hope and dreams away from her. “Of course. Let’s just go to the next tree”

Applejack shook her head sadly. “When will that filly learn she can’t control everything she ain’t happy with?”

-

“This makes no sense. How could she [i]refuse[/i]? Everything was going according to plan!” Scootaloo was pacing around the walls of the CMC treehouse, freaking out. Her mane was a mess from the constant pulling she inflicted on it due to stress. Sweetie Belle was sitting in a corner, a hoof over her mouth in a thinking motion, and Apple Bloom was lying on her back near the exit, staring up at the wooden ceiling.

“You told her everything, right? You said that Rainbow Dash mentioned she wanted an Oatson? Did you tell her the price? 40 bits! That has to be cheap, right?”

“I told her everything Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said in a defeated tone. She never took her eyes off the ceiling. “She still said no. Just forget about it.”

“Forget about it?” Scootaloo stopped her pacing to instead glare at Apple Bloom. “AB, this is the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in a month! Now you’re just going to quit because of one little speed bump?”

“It’s not just going to be just one speed bump for long.”

Scootaloo threw her hooves out in exasperation. “You don’t know that Apple Bloom! C’mon now, get your head back in the game an-“

“Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom spoke again, this time with enough bite to it to get Scootaloo to shut it. Apple Bloom finally turned to face Scootaloo, her face sunken and her eyes distant.

“Scoots, you don’t understand. Ah know mah sister, an’ that just reminded me how this whole thing is goin' to go down. My sister is so incredibly stubborn Scootaloo, an’ ah mean really stubborn. If she doesn’t have a good feelin’ about somethin’ then she ain’t goin’ to do that somethin’.”

“What are you talking about Apple Bloom? You got her to come out, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, ah did. After ah came out. It was a friendly environment then, so she finally felt comfortable tellin’ us. She never tried tellin’ us before because she was sure it would end up badly.

“Mah sister jumps into danger and helps out any pony she can. Ah’ve lived with her mah entire life and ah’ve always admired her selflessness. But she’s so… familiar with all those situations she gets herself into. When somethin’ new happens… she panics.”

Apple Bloom had long returned her gaze back to the ceiling of the treehouse, but she didn’t need to look at Scootaloo anymore to hold her attention. 

“She has never been in a relationship before. She focuses too much on her work, cause that’s familiar. You’re right Scoots, this is just one-speed bump. But how many more are we goin’ to face? We don’t even know about Rainbow yet, what if she’s the same way! Ah’m done interfering with my sister and her love life. Ah’ve finally realized there’s no use tryin’.”

Scootaloo's mouth fumbled for words, anything to argue back with Apple Bloom. Scootaloo knew it would work out eventually, they just needed to keep trying. She believed it would get easier, and she wanted Apple Bloom to believe that too.

It was during this tense thought process that Sweetie Belle let loose the loudest “A-HA” either fillies have ever heard. It even managed to snap Apple Bloom back from her bout of depression, who was now rubbing at her throbbing ears. 

“Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo shouted, covering her ears in case of another barrage of ear shouting exclamations. “Calm down, you scared the crap out of me!”

Sweetie smiled apologetically. “Heh, sorry about that. Anyways, I figured out how to get past this step!”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “Go on,” Scootaloo said cautiously.

Sweetie Belle was back to full excitement as she explained her master plan. “What if we brought the Oatson for Rainbow Dash and told her Applejack got it for her?”

Scootaloo shook her head in disappointment, causing Sweetie Belle's wide smile to fall. “Sweetie Belle, it said Applejack needed to buy Rainbow Dash the hat, not us.”

“A-HA!” Sweetie Belle shouted in her defense, causing a tremor to shake the treehouse. “It also said most of the rules would require some sort of participation from us. So we should be in the clear!” She banged her hoof against the floor, proud of her deductive reasoning. 

Needless to say, today was not the treehouse’s day.

Scootaloo’s wings began to twitch, and she felt a stupidly wide grin coming on. “You really think so?”

“Makes sense to me,” Apple Bloom said, apparently deciding to add herself back into the conversation with a healthy dose of melancholy. The sulking filly was now back on her hooves and already had her saddlebags hitched on her back.

“That’s the spirit, Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo patted her friend on the back as a friendly gesture. Apple Bloom didn’t even seem to register the contact. “I knew you’d snap out of that funk and get back into this. Now-“

“Ah’m still not doing this Scoots, ah was just sayin you’re right.”

“...what?”

Apple Bloom sighed and pointed at one of her bags. “Just take the book from my saddlebag. Ah don’t want anything to do with this right now. Ahm just gonna go back to my room and, I dunno, think.”

Scootaloo gulped at the bulging saddlebags that hung down Apple Bloom’s sides. “Um, okay then.”

After five minutes of rummaging, and after everything was smashed back in the cramped bags, Apple Bloom bid her two friends a wordless goodbye and left them with the magical notebook to head back to the farm. 

“Jeez!” Sweetie Belle spoke up from the corner. “It looks like Applejack’s rejection really did something to her. She’s never been this down before! I wonder why…” 

Scootaloo stared in disbelief at the oblivious unicorn. “Did you not just hear anything she told me? Like, anything at all?”

Sweetie Belle rolled it over in her brain, then shrugged. “No, not really. I was too busy trying to find out how to give Rainbow the hat.”

“It took you that long to figure that out?” 

“Well if it’s so easy to figure out, then why didn’t you think it up before me?” Sweetie Belle retorted.

“You know what? How about I’ll tell you later and instead we’ll conduct this grand plan of yours for Applejack to give that Oatson to Rainbow Dash without Applejack even knowing about it?”

Sweetie Belle jumped back up on all four hooves to walk on over to Scootaloo. “You know,” Sweetie Belle said as she casually draped an arm over Scootaloo’s back, “I think that sounds like a great idea.” 

“Fine, I guess,” Scootaloo sighed. Let’s just go. 

‘Great!” Sweetie cheered as she began to trot towards the entrance, magical notebook in magical tow, before stopping to turn back around to Scootaloo with a sheepish grin. “So uh, can you pay? Heh, I’m kind of broke at the moment.”

Scootaloo facehooved.

-

“It’s just so unlike her, ya know? I get she’s upset, but she’s taking it harder than I thought. I mean, she never talks like that! She’s usually so down to earth, but now she’s speaking a lot like you, Sweetie Belle!”

“I… don’t know if that’s a compliment or an insult.”

“How about both? See, there’s a mind screw for you. Anyways, I’m worried about her. I don’t think she expected this whole thing to be this challenging. She just needs to give this whole thing a chance. It’s like she’s trying to be more mature about this whole thing than she really needs to be. Why do you have to think about this so much? Just get two mares together, make them happy, and call it quits. She shouldn’t be taking this so seriously

“She does have a good point though. We still don’t know what’s going to happen with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash is awesome, she’s a Wonderbolt, Equestria’s fastest flyer, she knows where to get the greatest nachos, and… and… I forgot where I was going with this.”

“Ok Scoots, this is interesting and all, but-”

“And I thought she was going to tell her family she wasn’t gay? But she didn’t tell me she told them yet. You think something’s up. Because if she’s gay, well then I’ve got a pony for her if you know what I mean. I mean D-”

“Scootaloo! This is truly fascinating here, top-notch stuff, but now’s not the best time. You didn’t say a word about it when we were buying the darn Oatson, but now when we’re hiding in these bushes to surprise Rainbow with the hat, thanks for playing by the way, you decide to tell me everything. Just keep your voice down, she might hear us.”

“Oh please, she’s not going to hear us!”

“Hey, who’s talking in those bushes over there?”

“...Well I guess she can.”

“Go out there Scootaloo!”

“Okay okay, I’m going!

“Hey Rainbow Dash! You won’t believe what Applejack got you!”

-

Applejack was gay, and Rainbow Dash didn’t exactly know how to feel about that. She had no idea that’s what that breakfast at Sugarcube Corner really meant. She was expecting anything based on how serious Applejack was when she invited her to breakfast. That certainly opened up a lot of options, but Rainbow still didn’t exactly know how to handle it. She was used to mares pining after her, but never the opposite. Rainbow just wished she could find the “one” randomly one day. Zero effort at all. She worked so hard at flying and maintaining her friendships, so why did she have to do the same for a girlfriend? Couldn’t she just be given a break just for once?

No, of course, it wouldn’t. Like most things in her life, Rainbow would need to work hard. She just needed to think about her options, and then she’d win.

So ponies whispering in bushes while she was on the thinking cloud didn’t really help at all. She was going to show these eavesdropping ponies what happens when you interrupt Rainbow ‘Thinking’ Dash in thought. Why she would-

“Hey Rainbow Dash! You won’t believe what Applejack got you!”

Rainbow Dash’s whole body relaxed as the small orange filly came trotting happily out of the forest. “Hey, Scoots? What you got on your back there?” Rainbow Dash flew gently down to get a better look at the box on Scootaloo’s back. And by flew gently down, I mean she took off at blazing speed complete with figure eights and loop-de-loops before crashing down into the earth without a scratch. As usual, Scootaloo was struck in awe and began to clap her hooves together. So of course the poorly wrapped cardboard box fell from the little filly’s back and onto the grass below.

“Woah, a gift! Is it for me?”

“Oh, uh yeah,” Scootaloo stammered. “Well you see, it’s from Applejack, and-”

“Applejack, huh? Sweet!” Rainbow Dash wasted no time unwrapping the green and black striped wrapping paper and throwing the box’s lid to the side. Inside the box was… a hat. A black cowboy hat, to be exact. With some gold string around the peak. Huh.

Rainbow Dash brought the hat closer to her eye and began to examine it, as if there was some magical item hidden inside. “Uh is this it?”

“Uh yeahhh?” Scootaloo began to dig a hoof at the ground in embarrassment.

“It’s from AJ you said, right?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Huh.” Rainbow Dash inspected the black stetson before shrugging. “Well okay then. That’s pretty cool I guess. Tell AJ I said thanks.” With that, the cyan pegasus spread her wings open and sped back towards the thinking cloud, the black and gold stetson clinging closely to her chest.

Scootaloo stared up at the sky in disbelief before turning towards the forest and shrugging at it. For some weird reason.

Rainbow Dash waited until Scootaloo retreated back into the bush before squeeing in delight. She made sure the black stetson was still in perfect condition before trying it on. Perfect.

Maybe she would get a break after all.


End file.
